1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a microphone apparatus, a reproducing apparatus, and an image taking apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Most of portable video/audio recording and reproducing apparatuses such as video cameras and digital cameras put on a market in recent years have a panel type view finder with which an imaged picture or an imaging picture is monitored. The panel type view finder has a higher visibility than a conventional built-in finder (namely, a view finder through which the user observes an object with an ocular) because the panel type view finder allows the user to easily observe the picture even if he or she is not so close to the panel type view finder.
Some video/audio recording and reproducing apparatuses use the panel type view finder in common with an input device with which the user can input various operation keys. In particular, when the user touches the display screen of the panel with user's finger or a pen, the user can select a picture, an icon, or the like that appears on the display so as to input desirable information. This type of panel is generally called, for example, as a touch panel.
In particular, when the user directly points a portion of a picture displayed on the panel, a focusing and an exposure of an object to be imaged can be selectively and optimally performed or an object to be reproduced can be enlarged with the pointed object as its center. As a result, the user can optimally image or reproduce a desired object. This technology is disclosed in a published patent application that the applicant of the present patent application has filed, and that is referred to as Patent Document 1 listed below.
In recent years, while video cameras have become small, the number of functions is increased and advanced. That is, in addition to a lens, a finder, a battery, a recording medium slot, a remote controller light receiving portion, and so forth, these video cameras have many operation keys, input and output terminals, and so forth disposed throughout the entire outside of the video cameras. Of course, a built-in microphone is included therein.
In addition, most current video cameras have a rotatable panel type view finder. It has a higher visibility than the conventional built-in finder (namely, a view finder through which the user observes an object with the ocular) because the rotatable panel type view finder allows the user to easily observe the object at a position apart from the rotatable panel type view finder. In addition, since the rotatable panel type view finder allows the user to vary the panel angle in accordance with the image-taking angle of the object, the rotatable panel type view finder has been widely accepted because of the forgoing merit.
Another prior published patent application such as Patent Document 2 listed below filed by another company discloses a technology in which a microphone unit is disposed at a large screen display unit of an image taking apparatus. This prior patent application relates to an open/close type panel view finder. In addition, as disclosed in an embodiment of the prior art patent application, a microphone is disposed at a top end (or a lower end) of the open/close type panel view finder. The microphone is mechanically compensated against the open/close operations thereof. In contrast, according to the present patent application, a microphone is disposed on a rear surface of an open/close and rotatable type panel view finder. In addition, according to the present invention, a directivity of the microphone is electrically compensated relative to a rotation of the panel view finder.    Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Laid-Open Patent No. HEI 9-116792    Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Laid-Open Patent No. 2000-152049